This is the before shot, so I could always remember what was what:
Served with slices of Pugliese, sesame-herb flatbread, and slices of organic navel orange for a faux-pretentious tart contrast (because the non-organic oranges at WF were covered in nasty little bugs - ew):
A side view of the finished product (the bird's eye view reflected my poor arrangement of the cheddar, and I'd rather the world never know about that) - pretend that the blurred oranges in the foreground are blurred artfully:
Reactions
Fromage Comtois Brie
Just a nice, dependable brie. Easier to serve from a wedge than a wheel.
Champignon Bavarian Brie with Garlic
Mike's choice. Strangely, no mushrooms involved. Subtle with the garlic, but when compared to the brie above there's no mistaking the light difference. (I know, Bavarian brie? Apparently it's the milk.)
Doux de Montagne
Looked harmless. Tasted harmless. Every once in awhile I'd say, "wait, what does that one taste like again?" And I still can't tell you. (The web says it's a French Havarti. Pft.)
Tintern with Shallots and Chives
Peaky, aggressive, but quick to withdraw... by which I mean you're confronted by its pinchy tang, but this is not overbearing. Mike says this is the least favourite of the bunch, but still good. (He said this before trying all of the selection, which may be meaningful.) I think of it as the quirky Welsh cheddar that could.
Australian Cheddar
To me, it simply tastes like a very good cheddar. And that's nice. But, to Mike, it tastes like a whole world.
Amadeus Cheese
This year's surprise! I got it because I liked the look of the Havarti-like texture, and because, you know, AMADEUS. Visions of Falco and Tom Hulce. Mellow but perky. From Austrla. No Wikipedia article. Want to know more.
Maple(-)Smoked Jarlsberg
It's my lifelong belief that you can't go wrong with a smoked cheese, and if it's maple-smoked? It's like someone loves you and they want you to be happy.
Comments